


For Him

by AngelynMoon



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, Canonical character revival and death again, M/M, Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-06-02 00:16:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6542596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelynMoon/pseuds/AngelynMoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They said he did it for Camelot, Gwen said he did it for her, but Merlin knew that Lancelot sacrificed himself for him. Merlin/Lancelot implied Gwen/Arthur.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. For Him

Summary: They said he did it for Camelot, Gwen said he did it for her, but Merlin knew that Lancelot sacrificed himself for him. Merlin/Lancelot implied Gwen/Arthur.

\-----

The first time they had spent the night together they just slept, comforted by the presence of the person beside them.

The second time, it was to remind themselves that they were still alive. It was after Morgana's invasion, after they took back Camelot and Gwen and Arthur were somewhere together. So, Merlin went to the only person besides Gaius who knew about him and his magic, the only one he could trust.

Lancelot had looked as lost as Merlin felt and when Merlin had kissed him in desperation to feel something besides fear and loss Lancelot had let him, had returned the kiss just as desperately. They had spent that night together on Merlin's small bed, the first of many, Lancelot's weight there to ground Merlin, reminding him that someone was there for him just as Merlin's heartbeat under Lancelot's ear reminded him that they were alive.

It became habit over the years, though Merlin spent more time in Lancelot's room than Lancelot did in his. None of the other knights knew, or if they did they said nothing to them, each other, or Arthur.

As time went by Merlin let go of his crush on Arthur, something he had known would never come to anything and let himself fall in love with Lancelot.

Lancelot who would ask to see Merlin's magic and then make love to him while his eyes still glowed gold. Lancelot who wore his blue neckerchief, hidden well, into the tournaments he participated in. Lancelot who knew all of his secrets and failures and still loved him, still touched him with kindness instead of fear, who looked awed every time Merlin cast a spell when they were in privet and would look for him when they were on patrol and they were attacked. Lancelot who would cast a quick grin in his direction when something lucky happened while they were fighting.

Lancelot who accepted that Arthur was his Destiny and that Merlin had to protect him no matter what.

When the Dorocha happened while Merlin was protecting Arthur it was Lancelot who began to take him back to Gaius, Lancelot who sat by him, prepared to spend the whole night awake to protect him, keep him safe.

It was Lancelot who he had shown the Great Dragon, who had looked at Merlin even more amazed than usual.

And it was Lancelot who looked at Merlin, so determined to sacrifice himself to keep Arthur safe and alive. Lancelot had known that Merlin and him being together would come second to protecting Arthur, he had accepted that before Merlin had kissed him that night so desperately.

\-------

Lancelot looked at Merlin and he wondered about himself, doubted if he really was the noblest of all the people in Camelot, perhaps he was so among the knights but how could he possibly be more noble than Merlin. Merlin who time and time again save the life of both Arthur and his Father, never asking for reward or praise, who followed Arthur into more danger than Arthur had a right to put him in.

Lancelot followed behind Merlin and wondered what it was about his lover that made him so perfect.

It was Lancelot who couldn't let Merlin die, couldn't live in a world without Merlin, couldn't bear the thought of following Arthur knowing that the king was the reason his love would be gone from him. Lancelot who would not live without Merlin in the world, somewhere breathing the crisp air, fighting Mythical Magical Monsters by Arthur's side.

So, while Merlin talked to the Cailleach, Lancelot walked around them to the torn Veil between worlds. Lancelot looked back only once, any more and he knew he wouldn't be able to go through with it. He looked at Merlin's horrified face and smiled, just a little, before he spread his arms out to the edges of the Veil and stepped through the tear in the world, carrying Merlin's face behind his eyes, Merlin's voice echoing in his ears…and then there was nothing.

\-----

Merlin watched Gwen cry, keeping his tears from over flowing, only moments ago he would have sworn that he had no more tears left in him to cry but it seemed that he was wrong.

When Arthur left Merlin followed, there was no body, this was for the people of Camelot to honor the fallen knight, Lancelot had ceased to exist as they understood the moment he stepped through the tear, and Merlin could still see the smile that had been Lancelot's last gift to him, cried in the bed they had shared because somehow it still smelled like him and when he was forced to return to his tiny bed he took Lancelot's spare cloak and wrapped himself in it as tightly as he could, breathed the scent of the fabric in and pretended that it was Lancelot's arms that surrounded him.

It was days later, it could have been weeks Merlin's perception of time had become worse than usual, when Merlin felt his grief fade enough that it no longer felt as if he were in a waking dream(nightmare, because if Lancelot was dead than what else could it possibly be.)

He heard it in the lower town while he was handing out potions for Gaius. The Villagers whispered that the bravest and noblest of the knights sacrificed himself for Camelot, so that it would always stand. He heard Gwen whisper to Arthur later that day that Lancelot had sacrificed himself for her, to fulfill a promise, a promise to protect Arthur, bring him home to her.

But Merlin knew, he knew what Lancelot had really sacrificed himself for, and it wasn't Camelot, it wasn't a promise to Gwen, and it wasn't to protect Arthur, it was for Merlin, and Merlin knew why too.

Merlin lay on his bed, Lancelot's cloak wrapped tightly around him as he sobbed as silently as he could, so as not to disturb Gaius and tried to find some comfort in the knowledge that the reason Lancelot had sacrificed himself was so Merlin would live, because Lancelot had loved him until the moment he died. But the knowledge of this was a cold comfort because Merlin really just wanted Lancelot's warm arms holding him close as he whispered that he loved him into his hair when he though Merlin was asleep, when Merlin just wanted to feel his lips against his palm when they couldn't quite get away with a proper kiss.

Knowing why Lancelot was gone would never give him comfort, not when he couldn't get rid of the knowledge that Lancelot's last act was to smile at him so that his smile was the last image of the man he loved that Merlin would ever have, knowing that was the closest to comfort as Merlin would get, because it was the last bit of comfort that Lancelot had given him.

\----

So… umm… a little depressing but I really wanted to write something heartbreakingly emotional about Lancelot's sacrifice, sorry if I made you cry but I hope you liked it a little.


	2. Not Him

Summery: Sequel to For Him.

\------

Merlin watched Lancelot laugh and smile with the rest of the knights, he couldn't wait until he and Lancelot were alone, he had missed him so much, his scent had faded from the cloak months ago 

Merlin smiled widely at Lancelot as Lancelot stood in the room.

"You can have my bed." Merlin said, maening that they could share it now that Lancelot was back, he knew that Arthur had probably given Lancelot a room but he needed to be close to Lancelot and being in his small bed with Lancelot's arms actually around him he would wake up and know he wasn't dreaming.

"No. No." Lancelot said shaking his head at Merlin.

"Really, after all you've been through...it's the least I could do." Merlin smiled, he wondered if Lancelot needed to hold him as much as he needed to be held.

"Thank you, Merlin. It's good to see you, too." Lancelot smiled.

Merlin looked away from Lancelot, "I've spent so long thinking about...what happened. Could I have saved you? And if there was anything I could have done. If I could have used magic..."

"If any of us had any magic, Merlin..." Lancelot began and Merlin watched him, his heart breaking, "Life would be a lot easier."

Merlin let out the breath he had been holding and turned to the door, "Good night." He said, barely managing to keep his voice from breaking as he left Lancelot in his room, he closed the door after him and sat with Gaius at the table.

"Oh, no. I've seen that face before." Gaius said.

"I want to believe that everything is fine and that we really have Lancelot back." Merlin whispered as he looked at Gaius with tears in his eyes.

"It certainly looks like him." Gaius noted.

"Yeah." Merlin murmured looking at the table.

"What is it?" Gaius asked.

"I don't know. Something's wrong." Correction, Merlin thought, Everything is wrong. "When he was telling his story, I sensed it. The way he greeted me, that made me suspicious. But what happened just now, that's made me sure. He forgot I had magic. Lancelot would never do that."

"Strange, indeed. Give him time." Gaius told Merlin and got up to do something with his herbs.

But Merlin couldn't give Lancelot time, it wasn't just that Lancelot didn't remember that he had magic, it was also that he hadn't really touched him since he came back, before if they had been separated even a day Lancelot would have been pulling him into dark corners and empty rooms, or even a brief hand hold, but Lancelot had hardly spared him a glance, but Merlin couldn't tell Gaius that, hadn't told him that he and Lancelot were anything but friends.

\---- 

Merlin looked at the spellbook and hoped to everything that he was wrong but he had to see, he had to cast the spell, but first he had to talk to Gaius.

\----

Gaius and Merlin finished drawing the spiral and then they hid, and Merlin's heart stopped when Lancelot passed over the spiral and they saw a skeleton overlay his skin. The only thing Merlin wanted to do was cry but they had Morgana's plot and when it was over Merlin would mourn again for the lover he had lost.

\----

Merlin watched the tournament with his breath held, knowing that he would break his own heart if he had to stop Lancelot from hurting Arthur, and he wondered when exactly he had stopped loving Arthur that way and just loved him like a brother, and when he decided that had he a choice he would save Lancelot over Arthur. He supposed it was a good thing he didn't have a choice, otherwise Arthur would have died when Lancelot had sacrificed himself.

Merlin only breathed when the tournement was over and he placed his blue neckerchief in his pocket before heading to tend to Arthur as Gwen smiled at Lancelot.

\-----

Merlin wanted to talk to Lancelot but he knew nothing he said would mean anything to the puppet Morgana had turned him into so, he threw him into the wall and approached him carefully. Merlin was surprised when Lancelot opened his eyes and then there was nothing as Lancelot knocked him out.

\-----

Merlin blinked awaked and remebered what was happening and rushed to the council room to stop Lancelot and Gwen. When he arrived his heart ached when he cast the spell to make Lancelot drop his sword and forced his tears back as Arthur ordered Lancelot to the cells.

\-----

Merlin glared angrily at Agravine when he said Lancelot should die painfully, if it came down to that Merlin knew that he would risk Arthur's trust to prevent that end, even if the Lancelot in the cells wasn't his Lancelot.

\------

Merlin knew Arthur was banishing Gwen and he wondered if there was a way for him to let Arthur know the truth, that Morgana had brought Lancelot back, had enchanted Gwen into Lancelot's arms, that if it were the real Lancelot this would not have happened.

Merlin swallowed, why not just tell him that he was a Warlock as well. Merlin thought about what Arthur's reaction would be and felt his lips twitch into a smiled briefly, he would be with Lancelot then, he would finally be home again.

Merlin shook that thought away, he coudn't do that, he couldn't ruin Lancelot's sacrifice by telling Arthur, he couldn't die, not yet, not while Morgana still roamed seeking Arthur's demise and throne.

Merlin closed his eyes and put his head on the table, he had to think of a way to fix this.

\---------

Merlin felt his heart shatter to pieces as he, Gaius, Arthur, and Agravine stood around Lancelot's body.

"The guards found him." Agravine said, a touch of smugness in his tone.

"What happened?" Arthur asked Gaius.

Merlin didn't want to know, but whatever it was hadn't been Lancelot's choice because it wasn't Lancelot.

"It appears he took his own life." Gaius informed them, looking at the king.

Agravine smiled a little bit and Merlin glared, suddenly angry at this person for trying to ruin Camelot and kill King.

"In all ways but one, Lancelot was a man of honour. See to it that he receives a proper burial." Arthur said as he turned away, leaving with Agravine at his heels while Gaius covered Lancelot with a white sheet.

Merlin wanted to shout that Lancelot had more honour than any of them, that this poor imataion of him was a lie and that this was Morgana's fault but he stilled his tongue and watched Gaius leave, leaving Merlin alone with his once lover's body.

There hadn't been a body last time, last time Merlin had been left with the ghost of a smile and a cloak that smelled of his lover and memories that made him cry until all his tears had been spent, and every new day had brought new tears until even his eyes cried for the loss of Lancelot. There had been spells cast to cover his red rimmed eyes and rubbed raw cheeks but Merlin had endured, had kept Arthur safe and alive like he knew Lancelot would expect.

Merlin moved closer to Lancelot's covered body and rested his palm on the sheet over Lancelot's forehead, without conscious thought he moved his hand to Lancelot's cheel and pressed his lips to his forehead, "I know no spell to bring back the dead, and if you were but a shade of my memories as you were Morgana's, I could not cast the spell, even seeing you as her puppet, my heart still wished for your touch, for your kiss, I would have settled for you to even look at me or speak to me as your friend." he whispered.

Merlin rested his hand again on Lancelot's forehead, the sheet still between them , "Lancelot, why did you go away, why did you return? Why did you break my heart?" Merlin asked the corpse.

Merlin shook his tears away and used a spell to lighten the corpse and lifted him up carefully, the sheet falling away as Merlin shifted Lancelot to a position where his head rested against Merlin's shoulder, if Merlin didn't know better, couldn't feal the lack of breath he would think Lancelot was merely sleeping.

Merlin carried Lancelot to the lake where he had set Freya adrift and made a similar boat, laying Lancelot on it with great love and care. He pressed a gentle kiss to Lancelot's forehead and then he let his magic fill his body as he cast a spell, he did not know if it would work but he had to try, he needed to see Lancelot one last time, magic owe his that at the very least.

"Grið fæstne mid þisse tintregian sawle!" He whispered.

Merlin's eyes glowed the golden shade that Lancelot had loved so much, and, freed from whatever grasp Morgana had had Lancelot took a breath and looked up at Merlin lovingly.

Lancelot smiled at the Warlock he loved. 

"Thank you. I love you." He whispered, before he closed his eyes and breathed out one last time.

Merlin smiled too, even as tears streamed down his face. Merlin leaned over the brim of the boat and pressed a kiss to Lancelot's lips, "I love you, too, dear Lancelot."

Merlin pushed the boat gently towards the lake's center and raised his hand slowly, whispering the spell that would light the boat aflame.

Merlin stood there for many hours watching the boat burn to ash on the lake and he stood there long after the flames died, tears falling from his eyes as he mourned his lover for the second time, his heart trying to piece itself together enough for him to continue on, at some point Merlin fell to his knees on the lakeshore and as he rocked himself back and forth he hoped that Lancelot no one would try to use Lancelot against Camelot again, he knew if such happened he would not make it through Lancelot's death a third time and this time his only comfort was Lancelot's last words to him.

A smile and an 'I love you' would have to be enough to keep him for the rest of Arthur's life because now Merlin knew he could never love another as much as he loved Lancelot again.

In the morning Merlin would pull the mask he had been wearing since the Dorocha and he would pretend that nothing had changed, like his world wasn't gone and destroyed and Arthur wouldn't noticed a thing, like usual.

\------


	3. The Return of Arthur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Merlin has been waiting centuries for Arthur to return, he should have known that Lancelot would find him first.

Summary: Merlin has been waiting centuries for Arthur to return, he should have known that Lancelot would find him first.

\---

Merlin was sitting quietly at a cafe sipping his tea, he'd lost count of how long he'd been waiting for Arthur. After several years of looking like an old man he'd let the spell fade, returning to his youthful image.

Merlin sighed softly as he glanced out the window, it was raining again the gloom had long since soaked into his bones. He missed Arthur, he missed Gawain, Gwen, and all of the other Knights of Camelot, there were even moments that he found himself missing Uthur. 

When he had finally left Arthur at the lake he had found himself travelling home to Ealdor he had stayed with his mother until the day came that he had to bury her as well. 

Merlin looked down at his tea, his reflection stared back at him, how many times had he looked in a mirror or reflective surface and wondered why he was still alive. Why was he still here when every one else long gone and buried, why was he alone.

For the first few centuries he had located every child named after the Knights and Gwen hoping that maybe, just maybe one of the others had been reborn but it was never them, for some reason though he had found himself staying with them until he buried them too.

A part of him was grateful to the powers that be that he had never managed to find a Lancelot, how he would handle that he didn't, even if the person wasn't his Lancelot, his heart had afterall been broken anew when Morgan had brought Lancelot back and then had him die when the task she had given him.

"May I sit here?" A handsome voice asked.

Merlin looked up and his heart caught in his throat, he had to bite his tongue to keep from blurting out a name that could not possably belong to the man asking to share his table.

"I'll not make any trouble for you." The man promised with a smile when Merlin remained silent.

Merlin mentally shook himself and motioned for the man to sit down.

After several long moments of silence where Merlin could not bring himself to look away the man spoke again.

"Is there something wrong with my face?" He asked, looking at Merlin in curiosity.

"It's a very nice face." Merlin blurted, "I'm sorry, just...I just...I'm sorry."

Merlin looked out the window in embarassment and grief, tears welling up in his eyes, how long had it been since he had last cried for the loss of his Lancelot, his heart? Much too long and not near long enough.

"I'm glad you think so, Merlin." The man said, grinning.

Merlin's eyes immediatly looked at the man and locked with his and his heart stopped again.

"Lance-" Merlin started.

"Yes, do you know how hard it was to find you?"

"I didn't expect any one to be looking." Merlin said, a hitch in his voice as he spoke.

"Not when you go by Arthur." Lancelot teased.

"It became... painful... to hear Merlin called and be expected to answer." Merlin found his voice steadying when Lancelot reached out to hold his hand, fingers curling gently around boney wrists.

"You haven't been eating." Lancelot said, it wasn't a question.

"My appitite hasn't been right since you... left... the first time." Merlin admitted.

"Merlin." Lancelot breathed out, voice filled with sorrow but no regret, not that Merlin expected any. 

"I've missed you, Lancelot." Merlin whispered.

Lancelot brought Merlin's hand up to his lips to press a kiss to his palm. A woman a table over giggled while her compainion sighed dreamily.

"You, sir, are entirely ridiculous." Merlin said as he tugged his hand away but he couldn't help the smile that crept across his lips.

"Well, finish your tea, the others are waiting for us." Lancelot lifted his own cup to his lips and drank.

For a long moment Merlin was entranced by the movement that Lancelot's throat made as he swallowed.

"Merlin." Lancelot chastised, "Drink."

"I'm sorry, I've just... you can't expect me to just ignore you, not after seeing you again after so long." Merlin forced himself to look down at his drink and took a long swallow himself.

"Yes, I think I can understand your position, Arthur won't take the excuse though." Lancelot returned.

"Arthur probably expects to be the one to find me." Merlin replied.

Lancelot laughed, "Yes, he did, but I know you better, I always have."

"Always will." Merlin promised.

The look Lancelot gave Merlin was soft and loving.

"Maybe this time we will grow old together." Lancelot offered.

"Are you proposing marriage, Sir Lancelot?" Merlin asked teasingly, eyes laughing.

"If you'd be willing, Arthur can officiate." Lancelot returned seriously.

"In a heartbeat I'd spend all the ages by your side or waiting for you to return to mine." Merlin vowed, feeling his magic curl around them, waiting.

Lancelot reached out and took both of Merlin's hands in his own, tea forgotten.

"My heart is yours, in this life and the next, our souls so entwined that I will always recognise you, no matter the disgise you wear." Lancelot began, "I cannot promise that I will never hurt you, I have done so before and failed to keep that promise, but I can promise that I will do all in my power to keep you alive, even if you'd rather I didn't."

Merlin felt the magic swirling around them sink into them, sealing the vows as Lancelot lifte his hands to kiss his knuckles.

"Do you know what just happened?" Merlin asked.

"Your magic reached out to me." Lancelot smiled.

"We just married before magic herself, that magic you felt, it was her approving." Merlin whispered, leaning forward to keep it from being overheard.

"We'd best not tell Arthur that him officiating our marriage is only a formality, it'd break his heart." Lancelot whispered back.

Merlin laughed as Lancelot's phone rang, the lyrics to 'I just can't wait to be king' from the Lion King making Merlin laugh harder.

"Hello, Arthur." Lancelot answered with a long suffering sigh. "Yes, I'll be heading back soon, don't worry your pretty little head."

There was a long silence as Arthur spoke.

"Yes, relax, I'll bring pizza." Lancelot sighed, there was a long pause and then Lancelot nodded, "Good-bye, Arthur."

"I know a rather decent pizzaria nearby." Merlin smiled as Lancelot put the phone away.

"Let's get a cake as well, it's our wedding day, afterall." Lancelot grinned as they stood and Lancelot interlocked their elbows and laced their fingers together as they left the cafe.

"Chocolate?" Merlin asked.

"Of course." Lancelot returned.

"Let's go get our wedding feast then." Merlin said as leaned into Lancelot's shoulder as they walked down the street.

The rain had stopped and the sun shone brightly and Merlin felt light and grateful, oh he knew that Arthur's return was the beginning of a new war, that there would soon be unrest and fear, death and injury, but at the moment all Merlin felt was happiness and Lancelot's hand warm in his, his lips pressing a soft and warm kiss to his forehead as he leaned into Lancelot.

Merlin knew that pain and heartbreak was waiting for them in the future but for this one moment in time Merlin did not think on what was to come, instead he let himself dwell in this moment of perfection, let it surround him and fill him for the hard times that would come, that his heart would remember this when his soul ached in sorrow for the losses that would come.

In this moment Merlin let himself be happy, let himself smile and laugh with Lancelot as they ordered pizza for His Royal Highness and the rest of the Knights as well as themselves, then they stopped to get a cake that became several because they remembered the Knights' appitites for sweets with a smaller one for them to share.

Oh, they were certain to be teased by the others, whether by leud jokes or with shouts of 'Finally' but it would be worth it to be able to kiss one another without fear of death, to not have hide in dark corner, to not have to sneak out of Lancelot's bed in the wee hours of the morning to avoid being caught, to not keep another secret from Arthur, but the teasing would be well worth it to be able to lean into Lancelot's warth when they sat side by side instead of maintaining a proper distance, to be able to hold his hand when he was injured or ill without an excuse.

To be able to love Lancelot openly and freely was well worth anything, as long as Lancelot smiled at him just so, eyes crinkled with happiness and alight with warmth and love, things that Merlin knew were reflected within his own eyes when he looked at Lancelot in return.

And Lancelot lifted the hand Merlin had entwined with his own as they entered a gated yard with their bags of food, and he pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles as the door burst open to reveal Gwen.

She stood in shock for a moment before she smiled.

"There really wasn't a girl, was there, Merlin?" She grinned. "Come on then, let's get them distracted by food so you've got some time to yourselves before they start in on you." She said as she reached for the pizza in Merlin's hand and led them into the house, into the kitchen.

She pulled the pizzas out and sorted who got what, setting one whole pizza aside as Lancelot pulled the cakes out handing the smaller one to Merlin and getting three plates and two forks.

"You should take this and him to your room before they decend, if they see him you won't be left alone with him for the rest of the night, they've missed him, especially Arthur." Gwen informed Lancelot, handing him a pizza box, "They won't notice anything unusual, you've been rather reclusive since you lot have begun searching for Merlin, especially recently."

Lancelot nodded and kissed Gwen's cheek, "Thank you, we will see you in the morning."

Lancelot led Merlin through the house and up the stairs ducking into bathroom when the sound of footsteps reached them, they waited while the footsteps receded down the stairs.

"Just like old times." Merlin laughed a little.

Lancelot grinned and then they darted from the bathroom down the hall to Lancelot's bedroom where he shut and locked the door.

Merlin sat at the desk and set out the plates and dished out the pizza while Lancelot searched several drawers for something, when he found it he closed the blinds and set two tall lit candles on the hardwood floor in small brass candle holders, he took two pillows from the bed and set them side by side.

"What do you think?" Lancelot asked, grinning.

Merlin smiled back and lifted the two plates and walked over to Lancelot and pressed a kiss to his lips, "Perfect." He murmured against them.

They sat down and ate their pizza leaning into each other, by the time they finished the pizza Merlin was sitting in Lancelot's lap and they were setting their wedding cake on a plate and taking turns feeding each other bites of it.

Finally, Lancelot set the empty plate aside and pulled Merlin into a kiss, lifting Merlin up and standing, settling them on his bed.

"I've missed you." Lancelot whispered into Merlin's neck.

"And I you." Merlin returned pressing a kiss to Lancelot's hair.

And the Lancelot was kissing Merlin hard as they clutched at one another tightly, knowing that they would bear the bruises of their desparate fingers in the morning and knowing there would be no regrets for them, only grateful for the reminders that this was real and not a dream, Merlin had had many such dreams, he would be glad for the reminders.

\---

Morning found Merlin curled in Lancelot's embrace, fingers still entwined from where they'd grasped each other's hands during their lovemaking.

"Good morning, my love." Lancelot said as he opened his eyes with a smile.

Merlin kept his eyes closed as he snuggled closer with an answering smile on his lips, "Good morning, husband."

"Husband." Lancelot returned as he pulled Merlin closer.

"LANCE-POO!" Gawain shouted as he burst through the door.

"That was locked!" Lancelot shouted as he sat up.

"I fixed that." Gawain said proudly. "Princess wants us all downstairs for breakfast."

"Fine then."

"I'm supposed to wait for you."

"I need to get dressed."

"Nothing I haven't seen before."

Merlin sighed and Lancelot looked at him. Merlin sat up and let his chin hook over Lancelot's shoulder.

"Gawain, we'll be down in a few minutes, now please at the very least step out of the room." Merlin requested.

Gawain looked between them uncomprehensivly for several long moments, "Merlin are you naked, too?"

"Out." Merlin ordered.

Gawain stepped out, more due to the magic that Merlin used than his desire to, the door closing in his face as Merlin made sure he couldn't open it again until they were ready.

"We'd better go, Arthur will throw a fit if we linger, especially since Gawain saw you." Lancelot said as he stood up, "You can borrow some of my clothes."

Merlin laid back down in the bed, pillowing his head with his arm, watching Lancelot gather pants, trousers and shirts before he turned back to look at Merlin lounging in his bed.

"Is it wrong that I wish Gawain was not so nosy?" Merlin asked as he watched Lancelot pull on a pair of pants, followed by trousers and a belt.

Lancelot grinned and settled a knee on the bed to lean down and kiss Merlin's grinning lips, "We all wish Gawain would mind his own business."

"Mmm." Merlin hummed as he grabbed Lancelot's head and pulled him into a deeper kiss, his arms moving to curl around his shoulders and Merlin dragged Lancelot down to lay against him.

"We really do need to go, we don't want Arthur to come get us." Lancelot sighed as he pulled away.

Merlin sighed as well and reached out to grab one of the shirts as Lancelot pulled on the other one. Merlin slid into the shirt before standing, truning his back to Lancelot as he pulled on the pants and trousers, knowing that he need the extra help at resisting his husband.

A hand touched his back and threaded a belt through his pants buckling it as Lancelot pressed up against his back and pressed a kiss to his neck.

"What is taking so long, Gawain?" Arthur's voice rang through the door, "I know you can pick locks, why are you standing about?"

Lancelot rested his forehead on Merlin's shoulder, "My king displeases me, can we exchange him?"

Merlin laughed, "We'd probably get a worse one if we did, we'd better get going."

"I suppose we'd better." Lancelot sighed.

They walked to the door, fingers entwining as they approached.

"Ready?" Merlin asked.

"Not a bit." Lancelot grinned.

"Then we are agreed." Merlin returned as he released the spell keeping the door closed.

"Hello, Arthur." Merlin smiled as the door opened.

"Merlin."

\----


End file.
